Academic Integrity Policies

Procedures for Review of Complaints of Violations of Academic Integrity

Procedures for Review of Complaints of Violations of Academic Integrity

General Rules and Procedures

Concerns that students may have violated academic integrity may be raised by any member of the University community.

Concerns related to an academic course should be brought to the attention of the instructor of the course. Concerns related to an academic course will be investigated and consequences determined by the instructor of the course. The instructor may, as part of the educational process, decide to meet with the student to reach a mutually-agreed upon consequence.

Where disposition of a charge includes a formal consequence that is mutually agreed upon in writing by the instructor and student, such consequence cannot be subject to the student's grievance at some future date. The instructor will forward a copy of the agreement to the University Conduct Officer and the Registrar.

The person or office bringing a charge bears the full burden of proving that there are sufficient grounds for finding a student responsible for violating academic integrity policy.

There shall be no time limit on bringing a charge. However, charges must be resolved by the end of the semester following the one in which they are brought.

Academic sanctions for a violation of the Academic Integrity policy (if the charges are not dropped) may include, but are not limited to: 1) warning; 2) lowering or not counting the grade on a specific piece of course work; 3) requiring an additional piece of course work; 4) lowering the final grade; or 5) failing the student in the course. The disposition of the review, to include the consequences and rationale, shall be put in writing, signed by the instructor, and copies provided to the student, Registrar, Department Chair and Dean, and the University Conduct Officer.

The circumstances of an academic integrity violation may warrant further review in the University Student Conduct system, and that more severe sanction(s) other than or addition to the academic sanction imposed. In some cases, the instructor will consult with the University Conduct Officer, who will determine whether the case will be heard as a violation of the Bemidji State University Code of Student Conduct (Statement of Responsible Behavior, Part C). The University Conduct Officer will maintain in consultation with faculty member(s) immediately concerned through any subsequent proceedings. While the latter should supply necessary documentation, no faculty member will be obliged to appear before the Conduct Board. Violations of the BSU Code of Student Conduct are processed as defined in the Student Handbook, and students found in violation of the Code may receive disciplinary sanctions.

Documentation of all academic integrity cases, however disposed, is to be forwarded by the instructor to their Department Chair and Dean, the Registrar, and also the University Conduct Officer for central University record keeping. The University Conduct Officer will, each semester, review the file to determine the extent of repeat violations by students. Students found to have two or more documented violations will be subject to review through the student conduct system for possible disciplinary sanctions.

Sanctions for Violations of Academic Integrity

Sanctions for documented violations of academic integrity may be implemented directly by the instructor, or, upon review and recommendation of the University Conduct Board, by the Office of the Vice President for Student Development & Enrollment. The following sanctions shall comprise the range of official action which may be imposed for violations of academic integrity. One or more sanctions may be imposed.

Sanctions available to the course instructor.
An instructor who determines there has been an academic integrity violation by a student in his or her course (as outlined in these procedures) may implement one or more of the following actions.

Drop the charge.

Academic Warning: An academic warning is a written notice to the student that his or her academic conduct has been questionable and that future breaches of academic conduct will be treated more severely.

Require an additional piece of course work.

Lowering or not counting the grade on a specific piece of course work,

Lowering the final grade.

Failure in course: The student will be withdrawn from the course and a grade of F assigned. If a student who failed the class is appealing to return to the class in the semester the sanction was imposed, the student has three (3) business days to file an appeal, once written notice of the sanction has been sent to his or her campus email address. This appeal timeframe applies through the last withdrawal date for the semester. In all other cases, the appeal process follows the Academic Grade Challenge policy timeline.

Note: Academic integrity consequences by an instructor are recorded in the (private) records of the instructor with an institutional copy sent to the University Conduct Officer, Registrar, and Department Chair and Dean.

Sanctions available to the University Conduct Officer.
When a complaint is reviewed by the University Conduct Officer (as outlined in these procedures Part I.), the University Conduct Officer may implement one or more of the sanctions outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, Section III, University Sanctions for Conduct Code Violations.

Note: Academic integrity sanctions by the University Conduct Officer are recorded in the University Conduct Office and the Office of the Vice President for Student Development & Enrollment, with copy provided to the student and, if appropriate, the course instructor, department chair, and academic dean.